This application is a substitute application for my earlier U.S. application, Ser. No. 663,113, filed Mar. 1, 1991, now abandoned.
This invention relates to a fragrance dispenser and method for fragrance dispensing, and in particular wherein fragrance is dispensed by means of a fragrance dispensing wheel.
It is often desirable and necessary to change the characteristics of ambient air in an enclosed environment, as, for example, a room. This can be accomplished by employing an aromatic substance dispenser in the room to mask an offending odor, or to dispense an insecticide, and so on. A common requirement is for air freshening in lavatories and bathrooms where special safety requirements and intermittent lighting may prevail. To add to safety and economy under these conditions various devices incorporating fans to move quantities of air across a fragrance dispenser have been suggested, as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,857,240 and 4, 568,521. U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,240 teaches the use of a battery powered fan to move air across a fragrance dispenser in response to a photoelectric cell. U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,521 teaches the use of a photovoltaic cell providing power to a motor connected to a fan to move air around a fragrance dispenser, the photovoltaic cell being mounted adjacent to a light bulb.
While these inventions add economy and safety for modifying ambient air in these environments, the instant invention offers important additional improvements. For example, in both of the above cited inventions a motor driven fan is required to move sufficient air across a fragrance dispenser in order to significantly effect the quality of the ambient air. And in the case of U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,521 the photovoltaic cell which powers the fan must be mounted adjacent a light bulb, the motor and fan combination necessarily going on and off in synchrony with said light bulb.
In the instant invention the aromatic substance to be dispensed is absorbed by a multi-paneled fragrance wheel mounted directly onto a motor shaft. The motor may be powered by conventional A.C. current, by battery, or most conveniently by photovoltaic cell. Ambient air is modified immediately as the wheel rotates on the motor, aromatic modifiers being dispensed in proportion to ambient lighting in the case of the photovoltaic cell powered motor rotation.